This invention relates to a process for alkalizing cocoa in the aqueous phase to improve its colour, taste and dispersibility and to enable a wide range of colours to be obtained therefrom.
FR-PS No. 2 445 698 already describes a process for solubilizing (or alkalizing) cocoa. To explain the process according to this Patent in more detail, the various phases involved in the production of soluble cocoa need to be specified: after cleaning and sorting, the raw nibs are crushed and degermed, the product obtained representing the meal.
This meal is then subjected to pregrinding, as a result of which the cells are broken and release the cocoa butter, the product obtained representing the ground meal or cocoa liquor. This ground meal is then converted into pure paste by fine grinding. Finally, the cocoa butter is separated from this pure paste and it is from the cakes obtained that the cocoa powder is prepared. The cocoa may be roasted in the form of the nibs, the meal, the ground meal or the pure paste. The process according to the above-mentioned French Patent may be applied both to the green or roasted ground meal and to the pure paste or the cakes. In this process, steam and a concentrated solution of an alkali carbonate are continuously injected under pressure into the cocoa mass in a tube, the carbonate is left to react with the cocoa mass for 30 to 80 seconds at a temperature of at least 120.degree. C., the mixture is subjected to sudden expansion and then dried with stirring. Apart from the disadvantage of the relatively high alkalizing temperature, it is not possible by this process to produce cocoa powders in a wide range of colours, particularly in shades of red or red-brown. Now, cocoas produced in colours such as these are very much in demand at the present time because they have a strong colouring power, thus eliminating the need to use food colorants which are prohibited in many countries. Obviously, these cocoas also have other advantages which will be explained hereinafter.
EP-PS No. 66 304 relates to a cocoa powder having this red or red-brown colour. The powder in question is obtained by alkalizing cocoa powder with approximately 75% water for 4 to 24 hours at a temperature of from 65.degree. to 90.degree. C., the water being replaced as its evaporates. The major disadvantage of this process is that it involves a long alkalizing time and a high consumption of energy during the final evaporation in view of the quantities of water added during the alkalizing process.